Two years ago when I tried my first couple samples of the then new Oliva Serie V, I was impressed by what I thought was a very tasty cigar but a little frustrated by construction issues I experienced with each one of them including the stick I smoked for my review of the Double Robusto. I didn’t let those construction issues turn me away though. Over time I kept revisiting the Oliva V in various different vitolas and ultimately the Belicoso really won me over to the point that the Oliva Serie V Belicoso was second only to the Tatuaje Havana Cazadores as my most often smoked cigar this past year. I guess that is a bit of a spoiler in terms of what is to come in this review but there you have it.

The Serie V Belicoso is a stout looking fellow. Its tapered head creates the illusion of it being shorter that it really is. At first glance you might suspect it is a relatively short smoke, but the truth is you’ll need more than an hour to work your way through this thick, slow burning stogie. It burns slow, cool, and and even with a firm, dark gray ash. I have found these to have a consistently nice draw offering up the perfect amount of resistance. They are impeccably constructed and consistent from stick to stick and box to box. The wrapper is a deep rich brown color and it is smooth and oily looking with only a few small veins. The wrapper on the Series V seems a little darker to me now than it was when they were first released in 2007.

The V Belicoso starts off with a blast of pepper and earth. It is a surprisingly smooth and creamy considering how robust it is. A Medium to full bodied smoke, it has an earthy twang complimented by leather, black coffee and oak. Mid way through it developed flashes of vanilla and nuts on the finish. The last third actually mellows a bit and is dominated by creamy notes of wood and leather. The V is a great complex smoke that never disappoints.